Samsung awarded a design patent for a vertically flexed smartphone à la LG G Flex, dockable tablets and a number of others

With 2013 on path to run its course, we're getting into that special period of the year when Samsung is working overtime to introduce a number of new devices. In fact, if initial intelligence proves reliable, this year could just mark the biggest expansion of Sammy's portfolio, with some four tablets already being suggested. Luckily for us, Santa, or the US Patent & Trademark Office in this case, has left us techies a fitting present, as it has awarded the South Korean company a dozen of patents.Those range from new flexible smartphone designs, through dockable and somewhat nontraditional tablet designs, down to, get this, an electronics door lock. Unfortunately, since these are design patents, no relevant information about specs can be found within the filings themselves, though that doesn't mean we can't take a peek through Samsung's peephole. Anyway...

We're obviously going to start with the most intriguing one – the vertically flexed smartphone design patent that Samsung got awarded. Unlike its Galaxy Round, the new device will be vertically flexed, instead of horizontally, much alike to the LG G Flex, and that's a good thing – people didn't quite care for the Round, and LG arguably won this round (pun intended). Regardless, there's no denying that the design is interesting, especially as the back that seems to have gone through a round (last one, promise) of ornamentation. Of course, whether these serve a purely decorative purpose, or are on some kind of reinforcing duty remains to be seen.

A vertically flexed Samsung phone

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Next up, we have a total of four different tablet designs, though they do look much alike to each other, but with some notable differences. For starters, it would appear that reports of Samsung's plans of going after the accessories market may pan out, after all, for all four tablets will have feature compatibility with an external keyboard dock (probably with an embedded battery, too), that they can snap to, both in portrait and landscape orientations. Moreover, two of the tablets, appear near identical, save for dimensions, which leads us to believe that they're just different sizes of the same design, an approach not unlike Sammy. The other two, however, have a notably different design -- one with what appears to be a home button placed at the very edge of the tablet, and another with a protruding camera strip and what appears to be a quad speaker configuration. Very interesting, so do make sure to take a look.

14. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

15. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

16. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

17. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

18. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

19. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #3

20. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #4 with a corner home button

21. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #4 with a corner home button

22. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #4 with a corner home button

23. Possibly upcoming Samsung tablet #4 with a corner home button

Lastly, another trio of smartphone design patents may be offering us a glimpse into the future, as Samsung moves to reinforce its phone line with new entrants. Design is a subjective matter, of course, yet three of those sure look good. From the looks of it, the third and final one appears to be yet another Galaxy S2 refresh, as it's looking pretty similar to the many variants of the dated ex-flagship.

You're just saying this because you have the mentality that Samsung is the big, bad evil Apple of Android and the rest of these vendors are underdogs. Tell me what is so great about the alternative's design language?

Seriously.. i never seen any bad design on galaxies phones.. actually galaxy series is one of the most comfortable phone to be hold and they really have good ergonomic.. the problem is people never really like the material that samsung use ( thin shinny polycarbonate back cover that looks cheap ) other than that i see zero flaw in their design..

The shiny polycarbonate 920 was lauded for its' design and durability, it's the phone's choice of texture design. Also, Samsung has the same design language from the Rex 60 to the Note 3 which is horrible because there is no differentiation in that regard. If you notice all of the other flagships look and feel 10x better than their subordinates because that's where the OEM wants you to look.

Samsung has improved their designs on their Galaxies, just look at the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014. The next round will be the Galaxy S5, hope it can flex it's muscles to let those Samsung haters drop their jaws.

ehhhhh for me not much different for design.
if u give any name of samsung product, i may now the spec of it. but if i juz see the tablet of samsung without knowing the name.... all looks same
the phone also applicable... except note series has pen

what do you suggest them to change??? Should they start produce cube design or something? I quess the main design is already given that you can not change as you, me and everybody like these form factors that are actually same. If you care about a degree of rounded corner, or button here and there....you can not drastically change but maby build quality and some small pieces around camera lens, buttons area etc...
HTC made nice ONE, Sony is rubbish looking from top to button, NOKIA is also a brick that looks better than SONY. If the S5, next HTC ONE, will look the same i wont kill myself, cause the design/ form factor actually work for looots of people. They might be forced to use Alloy or something, but what actually can be changed so drastically over current designs???

By the looks of it, it seems that some people's mentalities will always be "It's made of Mayan chief bones? Best design evar!" - even if it somehow gives you carpal tunnel syndrome due to horrible ergonomics and shape.

its funny person talk about samsung design wen apple havent change there design since iphone 4.... atlease if u look at the s3 and the s4 u can see a change screen got bigger screen phone is smaller and thinner..... tell me the changes in design between the iphone 5 and 5s????? am waiting

Galaxy S = little bar of soap.
Galaxy S2 = bigger bar of soap, thinner and much more squared than predecessor
Galaxy S3 = started to get larger and curvier, less squared
Galaxy S4 = larger, way thinner and seemingly setting the curvy design as a trend for its line

I just hope the S5 will look as different as the S2 did when it got introduced. Anyway, I don't mind the Notes getting thinner and getting larger screens while maintaining their current size, though. :D

Eh the GS3 was easily the biggest departure any company has ever made in design. In fact it was so different fanboys laughed at it at first for not being symmetrical at the top and bottom but it passed simply because it was very ergonomical and improved in hand feel.

I wasn't a huge fan of the design myself but you can't say it wasn't different.

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